AXE

AXE is a global male grooming and fragrance brand owned by Unilever and launched on 6 June 1983, initially in France. According to Unilever, the first lineup consisted of three body spray variants - Musk, Amber and Spice - positioned as an accessible alternative to traditional eau de toilette for young men. The range rapidly expanded across Europe and later into North and South America, with the brand trading under the name Lynx in the UK, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand due to trademark constraints.

Over time AXE has built a catalog of dozens of named scents, shifting from descriptive names like Musk and Marine in the 1980s to more concept-driven releases such as Africa, Apollo, Vice, and many others, often supported by highly visible advertising campaigns. Beyond body sprays, AXE has extended into deodorants, antiperspirants, shower gels, shampoos and hair styling products, while still centering fragrance as a core selling point. Unilever highlights Apollo as a leading body spray in the United States, and notes that Lynx Africa is a top-selling male fragrance in the UK.

In 2023 AXE introduced its Fine Fragrance Collection in the US and Europe, developed with major perfume houses and consultant Ann Gottlieb. Unilever describes this collection as using higher-grade scent compositions designed to compete with luxury fragrances and notes that it has contributed to brand growth among Gen Z consumers. Today AXE products are sold in more than 90 countries, with the United States cited as the brand's largest market and the UK, Germany, Mexico and France also among its strongest territories.